"Theyareatenmity," repliedDonQuixote, "becausethisAlifanfaronisafuriouspaganandisinlovewiththedaughterofPentapolin, whoisaverybeautifulandmoreovergraciouslady, andaChristian, andherfatherisunwillingtobestowheruponthepagankingunlesshefirstabandonsthereligionofhisfalseprophetMahomet, andadoptshisown."
"Bymybeard," saidSancho, "butPentapolindoesquiteright, andIwillhelphimasmuchasIcan."
"Inthatthouwiltdowhatisthyduty, Sancho," saidDonQuixote; "fortoengageinbattlesofthissortitisnotrequisitetobeadubbedknight."
"ThatIcanwellunderstand," answeredSancho; "butwhereshallweputthisasswherewemaybesuretofindhimafterthefrayisover? forIbelieveithasnotbeenthecustomsofartogointobattleonabeastofthiskind."
"Thatistrue," saidDonQuixote, "andwhatyouhadbestdowithhimistoleavehimtotakehischancewhetherhebelostornot, , forIwishtogivetheesomeaccountofthechiefknightswhoaccompanythesetwoarmies; andthatthoumayestthebetterseeandmark, letuswithdrawtothathillockwhichrisesyonder, whencebotharmiesmaybeseen."
Theydidso, andplacedthemselvesonarisinggroundfromwhichthetwodrovesthatDonQuixotemadearmiesofmighthavebeenplainlyseenifthecloudsofdusttheyraisedhadnotobscuredthemandblindedthesight; nevertheless, seeinginhisimaginationwhathedidnotseeandwhatdidnotexist, hebeganthusinaloudvoice:
